Sales Manager

Steven Boyd Seketa

**** **** ** ** *** South

Greencastle, IN 46135

*****.******@*****.*** 765-***-****

Manufacturing and distribution operations executive with proven success leading regional and national teams to improve process and operations in the Metal, Plastic and Rubber industries using Kaizen & Lean Methods to maximize plant performance.

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERTISE

Turn Arounds

Plant Consolidations

Major Product Launches

Kaizen / Lean Methods

Purchasing (International)

Non-Automotive Operations

Acquisitions

Stamping / Welding

Die Casting / Machining

Blow Molding

Rubber Moldings/Extrusions

Plastic Injection Molding

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Zhongding North America 2008 – Dec 2016

Zhongding North America is a China-based company principally engaged in the manufacture and distribution of rubber products for applications in automobiles, aerospace, petroleum, natural gas, construction machinery and high-speed rail.

GM 2013 – Dec 2016

Full P & L responsibility for plants in Michigan (3), Missouri (1), and a distribution center Queretaro Mexico.

Key Results:

Opened Zhongding Mexico operations

oDistribution started Jan 2016

oLight Manufacturing to start Oct 2016

oMolded rubber operations to start March 2017

Purchase and oversight of ZD Metal Products

Assisted with due diligence in Europe, Brazil, and India

(Phase 2: early 2017 – light assembly and Phase 3 late 2017 – molding rubber products)

General Manager (Strasburg, Oh 2008 – 2013)

Key Results:

Lead role in purchase of Michigan Rubber Products and Buckhorn Rubber Products ($14 million dollar acquisition) added $60 million in sales

Created in-house sales team which replaced outside sales agencies, saving $1.25 M+ annually

Increased sales for ZD China from $70M in 2010 to $125M in 2015

Consolidated plant operations of Allied Baltic Rubber into MRP, BRP and ZD China

Lead role in the purchase the Acushnet Rubber Company (Precix Inc.), adding $60M in sales

McKechnie Vehicle Operations (Nicholasville, KY 2006-2008)

McKechnie manufactures interior and exterior automotive trim products including chrome, painted plastic, and metal wheel covers and clads with sales of $145M.

Director of Operations

Full P & L responsibility for two plants in KY and SC with $140M in sales

Key Results:

Installed State of the Art $15M chrome plating line and two wheel Clad Assembly lines

Rebuilt staff, returned manufacturing operations to profitability, and launched 28 new products over a 12 month time period, generating $34M in new sales

Trim Trend/Global Automotive Organization (Troy, MI 2004-2006)

Automotive Supplier of metal formed parts utilizing metal stampings, welded assemblies, roll mills, rotary cold forming and stretch benders with annual sales of $360M. (Global Automotive Systems Purchased Trim Trends in 2006 and later merged it with Dana)

General Manager (Bryan and Spencerville OH Operations 2005 – 2006)

Total responsibility for two plants (Bryan and Spencerville OH) with combined sales of $74M.

Key Results:

Reorganized and rebuilt staff, reduced salaried staff by 22%, eliminated one production shift and reduced overtime

Launched 28 new products for the Tower Corporation for the Nissan Titan programs and installed Visual PM System

Member of the senior team presenting to potential buyers

Transitioned new owners during due diligence and assisted in operations set up

General Manager of Trim Trends (Bryan, OH 2004 – 2006)

Full P&L responsibility –, reorganized staff, and installed a culture of Continuous Improvement to increase efficiency, lower scrap rate and reduce defects.

Key Results:

Returned the plant to profitability

Reduced scrap and equipment downtimes and reorganized staff

Reduced outside processing of tooling for the rotary cold forming operations

Lobdell Emery/Oxford Organization (Greencastle, IN 1979-2004)

Automotive tier 1 supplier of metal stampings and welded assemblies with annual sales exceeding $1B, with products ranging from single stampings to complex Rear Modules including brakes, bearings, anti-lock sensors and brake lines. The Greencastle operation has sales of $127 Million

Plant Manager (1992 – 2004)

34 Stamping presses ranging from 250 ton to 1500 Ton Transfer presses

Assembly operations: Spot welding, Arc Welding, Machining, Painting, Sequencing

Key Results:

Introduced Lean Manufacturing techniques and developed and implemented a Visual management system using Process Grade cards for all major operations.

Successfully reorganized the plant: reduced salaried staff from 72 to 46, increased sales from $22M to $127M, and secured new customer Mercedes-Benz, to compliment Chrysler, GM and Ford.

ISO9000 and QS9001 certified – First Oxford Plant to pass the certification audit with and 0 Majors, 0 Minors.

Plant Manager (Masury, Ohio 1997-1998) Masury sales were $83 million: assumed additional responsibility to lead multiple problem plants through staffing and production transitions.

Plant Manager (Alma, Michigan 1997) Alma sales were $67 million: eliminated premium freight events and turned around underperforming plant to bring production back up to quoted levels, Improved the equipment maintenance, die maintenance and press scheduling.

Engineering Manager & Director of Quality Assurance (Greencastle, IN 1984 – 1991): Design, Tool follow up, Installation, Operation, and Maintenance of automated assembly equipment. Managed Welding, I.E., Continuous Improvement, Quality, CMM Layout, Maintenance, Tool & Die and I.T. functions.

EDUCATION

BS in Electronics and Computers Technology (ECT)

Indiana State University

Kaizen Lean Training by the Kaizen Institute of America

DOE – Taguchi training

Contact this candidate